A certain part of the Russian political elite sees Bortnikov as Putin's successor.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, in the event of the removal of Russian President Vladimir Putin from power, his successor may be the current director of the Federal Security Service (FSB), Alexander Bortnikov. At least this option is considered by representatives of the Russian elite that a certain part of the Russian political elite considers Bortnikov as Putin's successor.
«It is noteworthy that it was Bortnikov who recently fell into disgrace from the Russian dictator. The official reason for the disgrace of the head of the FSB — fatal miscalculations in the war against Ukraine. It was Bortnikov and his department who were responsible for analyzing the mood of the population of Ukraine and the ability of the Ukrainian army», — the message says.
Note that Putin himself also moved to senior positions from the post of director of the FSB, which he headed in 1999 before being appointed prime minister, and later — and about. the President of Russia. He worked for the special services (KGB of the USSR) since the mid-1970s.